Slide fastener manufacture



, with respect to the tape is assured and wherein with respect to the avide a method and apparatus for forming intertapes with respect PatentedSept. 29,1942 I I 2,297,070

UNITED" STATES tP-A Nr OFFICE I snmnr'ns'rnzc il mnbrscruas v Noel J.roux, Mearlville, Pa, assignor to Talon,

Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 13, 1939,Serial No. 309,015

1 Claims? (c1. a-so) This invention relates to slide fasteners and, edgeand, in some cases, in

in particular, to the forming of interlocking fas-. in-impact upon thetape. The introduction of tener members directly upon fastener stringermaterial inthis direction toward'the tape edge tapes. upon which themembers were formed exerted It is an object of this invention to providean 5 against the stringer tapes projecting into the die improved methodof forming or casting intercavity, forces tending to push the tapes fromlocking fastener members directly upon fastener the dies and, preventsufiicient extension of the stringer tapes, wherein the concentriclocation tapes into the formed elements, or to throw the of the formedinterlocking fastener members head or reinforced stringer tape edges oficenter die cavities with .resultant ons of the interproduction thereonof fastener members having quick shots resulting the head orinterengaging .porti locking fastener members are formed by comlegportions of non-uniform thickness.

pletely closed die surfaces preventing the forma- Furthermore, theformation of gates, sprues tion of flash, sprues or gates on theseportions and flash on the head portions or interengagingof the fastenermembers. portions of the fastener members were generally incident tothese methods wherein the material was supplied under pressure causingit to move locking fastener members directly upon stringer into the diecavity in this direction toward the tapes wherein proper alignment ofthe stringer vtape edge upon which the fastener member was to the diesis readily accome 29 to be formed in the die cavity.

By utilization of the principles of this invention wherein the fastenermember forming material is supplied equally at opposite sides of the Itis a further object of this invention to protapes and directed towardthe heads or intervide such amethod and apparatus wherein the lookingportions of the fastener members to be die opening is disposed at therear of the leg porformed in the general direction of the extent oftions of the formed fastener members and wherev the tapes toward theenclosed edge portions, all in the formation of gates and sprue's on thehead 'of the above disadvantages are totally obviated portionsistotallyobviated. and certain other advantages achieved, as will These and otherobjects and advantages of the 30 hereinafter appear. The direction inwhich the invention will appear from the following descripmaterial issupplied tothe die cavity causes the tion taken in conjunction with theaccompanying material to guide and maintain the edge of the drawingwhich forms apart thereof, and will stringer tape in a positionconcentric of the die be pointed outinthe appended claims. cavity, whileurging the edge of the stringer tape In the drawing: 35.into the diecavity rather than in an opposite It is a further object of thisinvention to proplished and assured by the manner in which the. fastenermember forming material is fed to the dies.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of apdirection, thus tending tostretch the portions paratus for accomplishing the objects of this ofthe stringer tape upon which the fastener members are formed andsecuring absolute coninvention; and a F 2 is a Section taken S s al y onthe centric alignment of the formed fastener memline 2 2 Of F g- 40 berswith respect to; the stringer tape.

Former methods of forming the interlocking v In the illustrated form ofapparatus for carryfastener members'of slide fasteners directly upon ingout the invention, the base I l which is adaptthe slide fastenerstringer tapes utilized dies pro ed for attachment to any suitable tableor other vided with slots accommodating the edge porsupport is providedwith a longitudinal die suptions of stringer tapes and having openingsporting channel l2 of substantially rectangular spaced from the extremeedge of the stringer section, Drive means, such as the power driventapes, within the die, for receiving fastener memroller l4, communicateswith the bottom of the her forming material. The material which was,longitudinal channel 12.

either metal in molten condition or heated nonsuperposed upon the baseII is a casing l5. metallic resinous or p i mater al Was pp ie Thiscasing l5'is provided at its upper end with to therinterior of the dieunder extreme pressure a detachable coverplate l6 which is removabledirected toward the enclosed tape edge from for placing material in thecharging cylinder l1 points spaced from the enclosed tape edge in awhich leads downwardly from the upper end of direction generallyopposite the direction in the casing I5.

I This charging cylinder I1 is prowhich the tape extended from theenclosed tape, vided with a charging ram or piston 18 fitting closely tothe walls of the charging cylinder ll be seen in Fig. 2, while thematerial is delivered and provided with a piston rod l3, by means of toeach die cavity in a direction toward the front which pressure may beapplied to the piston l8. or head portion 4| from the rearor leg end 42An annular'chamber 20 in the wall of the of each fastener member 43.charging cylinder ll encloses a suitable heating 5 As the die 33 ismoved progressively from left coil 2|, by means of whichthe material inthe to right, as seen in Fig. 1, the forward reduced charging cylinderl3 may be heated. The terend of each recess 23 exerts a packing effectupon minals 22 and 23 of this'coil 2| may be attached the material ineach die cavity 31 moving out of r to any suitable source of electricenergy for heatcommunication with the recesses 23, which is ading thecoil 2i. 1o ditional to the pressure exerted throughout the The lowerwall of the charging cylinder I1 is fastener forming material by the ramor piston formed by a plurality of substantially frustol8. The forwardedge of each recess 28 acts as a conical depressions 24 which areseparated by a scraper or knife which fits closely to the upper wall 23provided with a vertical longitudinally surface of the die 33 and thusscrapes oil. the disposed stringer tape guiding channel 23. The materialbeyond the end of the die cavity to prechannel 28 extends from side toside of the casvent the formation of gates, sprues or flashes on ing it.The frusto-conicaldepressions 24 comthese surfaces. Any roughness in thefinished municate at their lower ends with the charging fastener memberswill, however, occur at the material leads 2'! which are progressivelyreduced rear surface of the leg portions 42 thereof, as will from theirupper to their lower ends and which 2 beclearly understood. As thesesurfaces, in use, are inclined downwardly and inwardly from the are incommunication with the lateral flange lower ends of the frusto-conicaldepressions 24, surfaces of the fastener slider, this roughness, if asshown in Fig. 2. The leads 21, at each side of existent, is removed byuse of the fastener. While the wall 23, communicate with amold cavitysuponly a short length of die 33 is shown, it is,,of

ply recess 23 immediately above the longitudinal 25 course, to beunderstood that the same may be die supporting channel l2. as shown inFig. 2. made of substantial length and that the form The cavity supplyrecesses 28 have arcuate upper thereof may be substantially varied, asdesired. surfaces and the cross sectional area is progres- The operationof the above-described apparatus sively reduced in the direction oftravel of the is as follows. The righthand end of the multiple stringertape through the casing l5, as shown in 30 cavity die 33 is inserted inthe longitudinal die Fig. 1. supporting channel I 2 and the die is movedright- In order that fastener member forming matewardly, as seen in Fig.1, until the first cavity 31 rial such as molten metal or moldableplastic is adjacent .the termination of the recesses 28 at 7 material,heated in the charging cylinder l1 and the right. A length of stringertape is inserted placed under pressure therein by the piston i8, 35 inthe stringer, tape guide channel 28 and may be maintained at a desiredcontrolled temthreaded therethroughuntil the righthand end peratureuntil placed in the die cavities, the leads thereof is engaged by thestringer tape supporting 21 are heated by a heating coil 23 disposed inmeans (not shown). Interlocking fastener memthe chamber 33 surroundingthe leads 21, as her forming material, either plastic or metal, is

shown. The terminals 3| and 32 of the coil 23 placed in the chargingcylinder H. are connected to any suitable source of electrical Thematerial may be heated to the desired energy (not shown) and it is. ofcourse, to be temperature before being placed in the charging understoodthat the temperature of the coils 2| cylinder I! or the temperaturethereof may be and 23 will be carefully controlled in known manraised tothe desired point y he h n 11 ner within predetermined desired limits inorder n either ca e eati g coil 21 is heated that the fastener memberforming material shall in order that the inner surfaces of the frustobedelivered to the mold cavity supply recess 28 in conical depressions 24and leads 21 may be predetermined desired condition. brought to thedesired temperature, preferably Supported by the power driven roller Hfor before the material is inserted in the charging longitudinalmovement in the longitudinal die cylinder I1, supporting channel I2,'inthe direction indicated Constant desired pressure is then applied to inFig. l, is a two-part multiple cavity die 33 in the piston rod l3 tooperate the ram or piston the form of a pair of complementary die platesI 3 and cause the die cavities 31 below the re- 34 and 35, in each ofwhich is formed a part of cesses 28 to be charged. Thereafter, the powerthe die cavity 31 and which are removably secured driven roller I4 movesthe multiple cavity die together by any suitable means, such as screws 3rightwar ly, as n in Fi 1, in the longi- 33. Each of the die cavities 31is, of course, comtudinal die supporting channel l2, while conplementaryto the form of the fastener members stant. pressure 011 the P s d 9 is andesired to be formed or cast upon the reinforced tained, until thematerial in the charging cyledge of the stringer tape 38, which stringertape indcr I1 is exhausted or until the left end of 38 is supported, bymeans not shown, for longithe multiple cavity die 33 is reached.Suitable tudinal movement concurrently with the die 33 m ans may beprovided, if desired, for cooling in a manner which will be readilyunderstood. those Portions of the multiple cavi y die 33 118- As will beseen from Fig. I, the pair of cavity p d ri h wardly of the casing l5,as seen in supply recesses 28 communicate with a. plurality Fig. 1- ofdie cavities 31 at opposite sides of the tape 38 After the cavities 31in the multiple die' 33 at a pointspaced from the reinforced edge 33have been filled, the multiple cavity die 33 is thereof and theserecesses 28 function as jets removed from the channel l2 and the membersto direct the fastener member forming material 34 and 35 thereofreleased from one another. (which is heated and under substantialpressure) 7 hereafter, the die members 34 and 35 are sepaconvergentlyinwardly toward the tape and in a, rated and the slide fastener stringerwill then direction toward the reinforced edge 33 thereof. be infinished form comprising the stringer tape The interlocking fastenermembers 40 formed in 38 havin completely finished n o n fasthe diecavities 31 thus have the head portions 4i tener m m s 0 c st p n th nfd d thereof formed'by continuous die surfaces, asmay portion 33thereoLas will be clearly understood.

ities being open otherwise In order automatically between successiverows of predeter- 31 may be omitted at predetermined intervals, or as analternative, predeterminedly spaced groups of these die cavities 31 maybe filled temporarily with suitable material preventing the entrance offastener member forming material during continuous operation of the die33.

It is, of course, to above description nowise limiting and that I desireto comprehend within my invention such modifications as are included inthe scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a method tener .stringers by injection comprising enclosing oneedge portion of a stringer tape in a mold cavity opening through a moldwall and of form complementary to the form of an interocking fastenermember having a head portion and tape engaging leg portions beunderstood that the of manufacturing slide fasmolding, the stepsextending rearwardly from said head portion,

said mold being open only at those portions corresponding with the rearsurfaces of the leg portions of the fastener member, and supplyingfastener member forming material through said mold cavity openings insaid mold wall toward the enclosed tape edge to fill the mold cavity.

2. In a die for use in forming fastener members by indection moldingdirectly upon slide fastener stringer tapes, a die body, a longitudinalstringer tape edge receiving channel extending inwardly of the die bodyfrom one surface of the die body, and a plurality of die cavitiescommunicating with said channel and opening otherwise only at oppositesides of to produce gap spaces fastener members is merely illustrativeand in pressure to said delivery'leads, and

interlocking said tape edge receiving channel through said surface ofthe die body.

3. A die for use for forming interlocking fastener members by upon slidefastener stringer tapes'including a plurality of detachable elongateddie parts having therein complementary recesses forming multiple diecavities complementary with the form of finished fastener members havinginterlocking head portions and tape engaging leg portions extendingrearwardly from said head portions, said -die parts being provided witha connecting stringer tape edge receiving channel connecting theportions of said cavities corresponding with said leg portions, said diecavonly at each side of said channel, at the portions corresponding withthe rear surfaces of the leg portions of the fas-' tener members, saiddie cavitiesand said channel opening through a common die wall and theinterior of said cavities providing continuinjection molding directly 7municating progressively tape edge rec temperature of plementary withthe interlocking fastener members tolbe formed and having gates at eachside of said tape edge receiving channel andextending through the samedie wall, said gates comwith said delivery leads upon movement-of said.die'for receiving therefrom material under pressure for filling saidcavities and forming spaced interlocking fastener members directly uponfastener stringer tapes in said channels.

5. In apparatus for forming interlocking fastener. members by injectionmolding directly upon slide fastener stringer tapes, means delining atleast one pair of laterally space verging fastener member forming liveryleads and an ly'movable die means having therein a eiving channelcommunicating with said tape guide channel and parallel, thereto, saidtape edge receiving channel havinz 8111 die cavities extending therefromthe die, said die cavities being complementary with the interlockingfastener members to be formed and having fastener member formingmaterial receiving openings at each side of said tape edge receivingchannel, said openings and directly upon fastener stringer tapes in saidchannel.

6. In apparatus for forming interlocking fastener members directly uponslide fastener stringer tapes by injection molding, means defining atleast one pair of laterally spaced converging frusto-conical fastenermember forming material delivery leads and an intermediate longitudinalstring r tape guide channel, associated heating co means for controllingthe the material in said delivery leads, means for supplying fastenermember forming material under pressure to said delivery leads, andlongitudinally, movable die means having a longitudinal stringer tapeedge receiving channel communicating with said tape guide cos fastenermember head portion forming surfaces.

4. Inapparatus for forming interlocking fastener members by injectionmolding directly upon slide fastener stringer tapes, means defining atleast one pair of spaced fastener ,member forming material deliveryleads and an intermediate stringer tape guide channel, means forsupplying fastener member forming material under pressure to saiddelivery leads, and movable die means having a stringer tape edge re-vceiving channel *with spaced diecavities connected thereby and extendingtherefrom inwardly of. the die, said die cavities being com- 'ingmaterial, at least one channel and complementarytherewith to enclose astringer tape, said die having spaced die cavities extending from saidtape edge receiving channel inwardly of said die, said die cavitiesbeing complementary with the form of interlocking fastener members to beformed and hav-'- ing fastener member forming material receiving gatesat each side of said tape edge receiving channel, sa'd gates and saidchannel extending through the same die wall and and communicatingprogressively with said delivery leads upon movement of said die forreceiving mate? rial therefrom under pressure for filling said cavitiesand forming spaced interlocking fastener members directly upon fastenerstringer tapes in said channel.

,7. In apparatus for forming interlocking fastener members directly uponslide fastener stringertapes by injection molding, a charging cylinderfor containing fastener member formpair of converging delivery-leadsextending-from said charging cylin'der, means associated-with saidcylinder for forcing material therefrom through said coninwardlyofextending through the same die 7 wall and said openings communicatingprogres- -sively with said delivery vergIngleadsQ astringer tape u dingchannel iastener members,

intermediate each pair 01' converging leads'and accommodating the majorportionof thewidth of a stringer tape, a die movable withrespect to saidleads and having therein a stringer tape edge receiving" channelparallel to said stringer tape guiding channel and complementarytherewith'ior enclosing the entire" tape width, said die havingpredeterminedly spaced die cavities complementary in form, to finishedinterlocking 10 said die cavities extending ass-2507c said tape edgereceiving die wall and said 0 from said stringer tape, edge receivingchannel and having continuous iastener member head forming surfacesandiastener member iorming material receiving openings atopposite sidesoi channel, said channel and said openings extending through a common gsprogressively communicating with said leads upon movement of said die.

g e NOEL J. POUX.

